May 4, 2007

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -

UCF 9, Memphis 6
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UCF (23-24; 5-11 C-USA)    010 004 202 - 9 12 0
Memphis (27-18; 9-7 C-USA) 113 000 010 - 6 14 3

With a 5-1 lead after five innings, Memphis seemingly had command of the ballgame. However UCF scored nine runs in the final four innings of play to take a 9-6 win from the Tigers in the series opener at Nat Buring Stadium Friday night.

UCF used the strength of two Kiko Vazquez home runs to rally to its four straight C-USA win. Vazquez put the Golden Knights on the board in the fifth with a two-run blast to left centerfield. Chris Duffy made it back-to-back jacks with a homer over the centerfield wall to make it 5-4. Ryan Richardson singled and used a Tiger error to move to third. An RBI-single from Eric Kallstrom knotted the tilt at 5-5.

UCF surged ahead for good with two more tallies in the sixth. Leadoff hitter Matt Horwath got things going with a single and Dwayne Bailey followed with a bunt single. An errant throw on Bailey's bunt allowed the two runners to advance to second and third, respectively. Another single by Tyson Auer made it 7-5 and UCF never looked back.

Memphis responded with a run in the eighth to cut the lead to 7-6, but the rally was stopped short when Tyler Huelsing was thrown out at the plate when he tried to score after Michael Murray got caught in a run-down between first and second.

Vazquez ended all thoughts of a Tiger comeback with a back-breaking two-run homer to left center in the ninth.

Closer Justin Weiss shut Memphis down in the ninth to pick up his seventh save of the year.

Memphis claimed the early lead with runs in each of the first three innings. Murray opened the scoring with his second homer of the year--a line drive over the leftfield wall. The senior finished the night with three hits. Consecutive doubles by Adam Amar and Josh Irvin put the Tigers on top 2-1, before a three-run third.

In the third Memphis got a sac fly from Amar before RBI-singles from Irvin and Tyler Huelsing. Irvin joined Murray with three hits, while Amar, Huelsing and Kyle Norrid had two hits each.

UCF starter Jaager Good picked up the win after he surrendered five runs on 10 hits in six innings and Hudson held Memphis to just one run in 1.1 innings.

Dusty Davis took the loss after giving up three runs in three innings of work.

The two squads will battle in game two on Saturday, with first pitch set for 4 p.m. Tiger batboy Stan Bronson, Jr. will be honored by the University's athletic department and presented the official Guinness World Records certificate in a pre-game ceremony